Spencer's kicking has Bath on the front foot

IT FELT as if the trophy presentation could have been made at half-time. Bath led 13-7 and only once in their 36-match season had they lost having been ahead at the break.Bath on the front foot

- PAUL REES

That was at Leinster in the Champions Cup when prop Beno Obano was sent off after an hour. Bath's success they finished the season with three trophies was based on their tendency to finish matches strongly.

So it was to Leicester's immense credit that they scored more points than Bath in the second half yesterday, something only four other sides had managed all season and just two in the Premiership: Bristol, who faced a reserve side in Cardiff, and Exeter at Sandy Park.

It made for a tense final few minutes, but once Ben Youngs, in his final action as a player, sent up a box kick that was claimed by Tom de Glanville with a couple of minutes to go, Bath were never going to give up the ball with their first Premiership title so tantalisingly close.

It was a fitting end because Bath's kicking strategy laid the foundation for victory. When the opposition full-back is Freddie Steward, sending the ball high in the air is hazardous, even with lazy runners now being penalised. Such is his climb and reach that very few sides have got the better of him over 80 minutes.

Two years ago in Cardiff, Wales kept kicking the ball to him as if expecting Steward to suddenly develop a hole in his hands. He caught everything and returned it with interest and for Bath to take on Leicester at their point of strength it was the Tigers' kicking game that laid the foundation for the semi-final success over Sale the previous week showed why they have been a side transformed in the three years Johann van Graan has been in charge.